The buzz: Tucked away on the ground floor of the luxurious new Sindhorn Kempinski Hotel, this offshoot of Michelin-starred fine-dining institution Saneh Jaan serves uncompromisingly authentic Thai fare at surprisingly reasonable prices.

The vibe: With dimmed pendant lighting and a masculine grey-and-black color scheme, Loukjaan offers a youthful take on Saneh Jaan's sleek Thai aesthetic. The sizable private room is typically booked out for corporate events, while the spacious dining area welcomes groups of Thai friends seeking traditional recipes in an upscale setting. On one side large windows look out to the green garden, while on the other, an open kitchen reveals the chefs at work.

The food: Stylized as the “daughter” of Saneh Jaan, Loukjaan takes the ancient royal recipes of its forebearer and adds a few contemporary twists. With its perfect balance of salty, sweet and sour notes, the juicy pomelo salad (B280) is a must-try. If you’re into punchy flavors, don’t miss the tangy ran-juan soup (B240), a rare ancient recipe spotlighting tender, juicy pork ribs, pungent nam prik and aromatic herbs. Topped with meaty prawns, the sweet stir-friend cowslip flowers with silky glass noodles and fermented sour pork (B180) is another hit. For a fiery kick, order the Southern-style yellow curry with sea bass and bamboo shoots (B280), then cool off with the refreshingly light mixed fruits in syrup granita (B100) or the savory-sweet taro in coconut milk with crispy popped rice (B100).

The drinks: Choose from classic cocktails (martini, B400), local and imported beers (Chang, B220; draft Brewdog Punk IPA, B395), wine (from B330/1,550 for Californian merlot) or soft drinks like fresh fruit juice (B200) and Illy coffee (from B100).

Why we’d come back: This is an opportunity to try Saneh Jaan’s authentic recipes at a fraction of the price and we’re already craving round two.